Dispenser



W. AYRES DISPENSER May 28, 1940.

Filed March 15, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR WADE/ 1f? f W. AYRES DISPENSER May 28, 1940.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 13, 1939 INVENTOR Mos/n1? X255 Patented May 28, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 10 Claim.

This invention relates to a device for applying toilet powder and more particularly to such a device in which a flow of 'gas is used to entrain the powder to carry it to the surfaces on which it is to be applied.

Prior to my invention it has been customary in applying toilet or bath powder to use a puff ordinarily made of down or other similar soft material or to apply the powder directly onto the surface which is to be dusted and then to distribute it with the hand or a soft cloth or in any other suitable manner. The latter method of direct application is objectionable because, ordinarily, more powder than is desired remains at the point where it is directly applied; whereas, the use of the powder pull, although satisfactory as a method of distribution involves the use of a puff which is difiicult if not impossible to clean and relatively expensive to replace.

It is an object of my invention to provide a device which is not much larger than the powder container itself, which may be a part of the powder container, but which unlike the ordinary powder container is capable of giving a uniform distribution of the powder with any desired density of application.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device which 'can be readily combined with and applied to an ordinary and inexpensive shipping container and conversely to provide an inexpensive shipping container which is specifically adapted for requirements of storage, shipment and selling.

With these objects in view I have shown in the accompanying drawings described below a preferred embodiment of my invention and a'number of modifications thereof. It should be understood that these are not intended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention, but on the contrary are chosen with a view to illustrating the principles of the invention and the manner of embodying the same in practical use in order that others skilled in the art may be enabled to embody the invention in numerous forms and with numerous modifications, each as may be best adapted to the requirements of any particular use.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in vertical section of a preferred embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in horizontal section taken on A line 22 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 4 and 5 are views in vertical section and in fragmentary horizontal section showing another embodiment of the invention;

Figs. 6 and '7 are views respectively in vertical and horizontal section of another embodiment of 5 the invention;

Figs. 8 and 9 are similar views in vertical and horizontal section of another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 10 is a view partly in elevation and partly in vertical section of another embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 11 is a view in horizontal section of a modification similar to that shown in Fig. 10; and

Fig. 12 is a view in vertical section of a refillable sifter container embodying my invention.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the device there shown comprises a container it, having a removable closure H which in this case also serves as the base. Into this container project an air-inlet tube i2 and an outlet tube 83. The former connects through the head E5 of the container with a rubber bulb [6, which is provided with a oneway inlet valve, ii and thus serves as a source of gas pressure. The outlet tube i3 is connected with the distributor head or mouth it which is provided with a perforate face is adapted to hold back any lumps of powder which might collect within the tube G3 or the head it. In the embodiment shown a rotating valve 20 is provided with perforations adapted in one position to register with the holes of the face It and in another position to be moved so as to close off the openings. This, of course, is not necessary to my invention, but is merely a precautionary measure to assure that no powder will sift out of the device if, for example, it should be packed with dark clothing while traveling.

It is important that these perforations 19 be distributed over the entire area of the face and especially close to the edges, and in general that the passages for the fiow of the powder cloud should be so designed that there will be no backwashes in which powder can settle out and collect.

Within the container Ill is inserted a powder package 2i. As shown in this figure the vpackage is an ordinary cylindrical cardboard box, which is adapted to meet the requirements of shipment and distribution, and this is sealed at the top by a. transparent film 22, e. g., of Cellophane, through which powder may be viewed by the purchaser.

Powder supplied in such container is received by the customer in a sealed air-tight condition.

When it is to be used in the device of my invention, the base II is removed from the container and the powder package 2I is merely pushed into the receptacle II). The pointed ends of the tube I2 and I3 puncture the thin transparent film 22 and thus extend down into the powder within the package. The base II is screwed back into place and the device is ready for use.

The inlet tube I2 near its bottom or advantageously throughout its length is provided with perforations through which air flowing from the bulb I8 is injected into the mass of powder. The tube It is provided with perforations both near its top and its bottom, and preferably throughout its length, into which the air flows with entrained powder. In order to prevent lumps of powder from passing into the tube I3 the openings are made so small that only such powder may pass as is capable of being entrained in the flow; and these openings likewise serve as a valve against any masses of powder by reason of the fact that the powder in a mass forms a self-sustaining arch over the opening.

In the case illustrated this result is attained by cutting longitudinal grooves substantially the full length of the tube which are sufilciently narrow so that the powder can form a sell-supporting arch and will not flow into the slot 25 of its own weight or under the pressure applied by the bulb I8. As a further precaution to the same end, the interior of the tube is lined with a fine mesh screen 26. This screen may advantageously be fine mesh tube, e. g., a wire braid of about 25-50 mesh, supporting a cambric or other fine textile layer between it and the tube I3.

In the use of this device the container II] can be grasped in the palm of the hand with the thumb on the bulb I6. Repeated pressing of the bulb will pump a stream of air under pressure through the tube I2 and out through the perforations 24 into the mass of powder within the package 2I. This flow of air will stir up and entrain some of the powder, which will thus be carried up into the space above the solid mass of powder, from thence it will pass through the slots 25 and the screen 26 into the interior of the tube I3 and so out into the delivery head II and through the perforated face I9 and 20 from which it will pass as a cloud of powder in di rected flow.

As this cloud strikes the skin or other surface to be dusted with the powder, the powder adheres and thus a uniform distribution may be achieved without excess.

It is an advantage of this arrangement that the device can be operated in any position. In the upright position the operation is as already described. In the inverted position, if the perforations are distributed along the full length of the tube I2 and sufiiciently small so that the fiow is distributed through them all, the operation will be identical. If not, the operation will still be effective because the device will not ordinarily be used for long in the inverted position and, by the very act of turning it over, a suitable amount of the powder will be stirred up by the air which passes from one end to the other when the container is inverted; and this entrained powder will be blown by the flow of air into the tube I3 and out through the delivery head I8. The action in various positions can be improved if the outlets 24 from the tube I2 are positioned at an angle to the radius so that the air jets from them produce a swirling of the air within the container which will tend to pick up additional powder by a cyclone action even though the tube I2 may be entirely above the level 01' the powder mass, as for example, with the container I. nearly empty and held on its side.

In Fig. 3, I have shown a device which is similar, excepting that in this case I have illustrated a simple powder can having a simple cup or container section Ila directly filled with powder instead of carrying a package inside, and the cover section la is made in simple form without the head or dome I and with the tubes I2a, Ila, formed of a single continuous tube perforated at 24 to provide an outlet and cut and flattened at 25a to form a venturi with narrow openings into which the air and entrained powder are sucked. The end of this tube connects with the distributing head or outlet I8a provided with perforations not shown in this figure.

In the operation of this device, a flow of air is produced by repeated pressing of the bulb Iia.

tinuous flow of the narrow air jet at the venturi,

compared to the size of the tube, will result in producing a turbulence which would entrain such powder even if it should flow through the relatively small opening 25a in a substantially solid stream.

In Figs. 4 and 5, I have shown another embodiment of my invention which is similar to that of Figs. 1 and 2, excepting that in this case the outlet from the tube I2b is through a slot or a line of perforations directed approximately tangentially across the tube I3b and the inlets into the tube I3b are approximately at the point of tangency and transverse to the direction of the flow from the tube I2b. The purpose of this arrangement is that the air from the tube I2b flowing across the openings 25b clears them from any powder which may be massed against them, while the turbulent back-wash in the space between the tubes entrains some of the powder blown away from the openings 25b and carries it on through those openings into I3b. With this exception, the operation and principle of the device shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is substantially the same as those shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive and discussed above.

In Figs. 6 and 7, a device is shown which is provided with a rotor I3c while the tube I 20 is designed to form an air jet for driving the rotor I30. As the air drives against the vanes of the rotor I30 the powder is first blown away from the vane and the rotor is then rotated so that its vanes throw any powder which tends to blow into contact with it and keeps the openings 25c thereof free from any mass of powder, at the same time creating a turbulence which assists in entraining the powder in the air flow.

In the device of Figs. 8 and 9, the inlet tube I2d may be as in any of the other constructions already described. The outlet tube I311 in this case is provided with crow-foot extensions 28 and 29 which, as clearly shown in Fig. 9, extend so close to the sides of the container lid that any mass of powder will arch across the opening, whereas, any flow of air with powder entrained therein readily passes through the gap and into the branch tubes 28 or 29 and through them into the outlet tube l3d. With the staggered crowfoot arrangement of the branch tubes 28 and 29, there will always be at least one of these tubes above the mass of powder even though the container 1 Id is almost full of powder. Thus, this device will operate equally well in any possible itself will effectively close off the submerged branches if the spacing from the side of the container lid is properly chosen.

In Fig. 10, I have shown a modified device which, however, uses the same principle as that of the device shown in Figs. 4 and 5. In this case the air or other gas flows through a tangential inlet l2e into the container IOe, and the outlet is through an opening l3e covered by a screen 266. The powder in this case may either be contained in the container llle without restriction, or it may be in a separate chamber separated from the air circulating chamber by a screen having openings just small enough to assure arching of the powder over the openings and thereby to prevent a simple flow of the powder through the screen. The lattermodification is shown in Fig. 11.

Assuming first that the container we is without partition and simply carries the mass of powder in its interior below the opening He the operation is as follows: The flow of air is driven from the bulb Hie through the inlet opening l2e, and is deflected by the upper wall of the container Hie into a circular or elliptical path. A portion may pass out directly through the opening 26e but most of it will be deflected along the wall and against the mass of powder. As it strikes the mass of powder it will tend to produce turbulence which will pick up some of the powder and with this powder entrained the flow will continue its circular path until it escapes through the outlet 26c and the distribution head me. This action continues with an enlargement of the circular path by attrition as long as any powder remains in the container Hie.

, In the case illustrated in Fig. 11, the portion tile is designed 'to receive a simple cylindrical powder box 2ie, which is held against the screen 3i) by the spring clip 3| on the base He. The powder in the box 2le is packed by gravityagainst the screen 38, but does not fiow through the screen because each opening in the mesh of the screen is so small that the powder eflectively forms a self-supporting arch. Nevertheless, these openings are large enough to allow air passing over the base-of the screen in a circular flow, as

already described in connection with Fig. 10,

to produce a turbulence at each opening of the mesh and this gradually carries away the powderby attrition, undermining the arch and allowing the powder mass repeatedly to fall back against the screen. Although I have shown a bulb in these examples as. the source of gas flow, it should be understood that any source of gas under pressure or in flow may be' used, as for example,

electric blowers, cartridges or bottles of compressed gas. Electric blowers may be controlled by switches or contacts conveniently located to be operated much as the bulb I6 is operated or the fiow of gas may be controlled by valves under finger or some control in much the same way. A small electrical motor with centrifugal blower can be made of a compact size and embodied in the device quite similar to the motors now commonly used in electric shaving devices.

Although I have described above the use of commercial distribution packages 2| and He in connection with the particular distribution device of my invention, it should be understood that this feature of my invention is more broadly applicable. This I have illustrated, byway of example, in Fig. 12, in which a commercial package 2|f similar to that illustrated in Fig. 1 is used with a sitter top can lllf which is provided with a tube I3f terminating in a pointed end adapted to rupture the sealing film or sheet 22. Such a device may be used for talcum powder or for numerous other powdered or granular articles, as for example, bathroom cleansers, in which latter case the base Ill may be made of molded plastic, wood or non-corroding metal so as to avoid producing rust stains on bathroom fixtures, as so often happens in the use of existing commercial packages for such cleansers. It is also within the scope of my invention to use such a device in connection with the existing pack ages, in which case the top of the package is ordinarily of thin sheet metal or heavy paper. In this case the threaded portion which engages between the base Hi and the container I0) may be made sufiiciently long so that it may be used as a means for securing the necessary mechanical advantage to drive the pointed end of the tube l3f into the top (e. g., the thin metal top of an ordinary cleanser can) and thereby to produce a simple device for opening a commercial package. commercial cleanser cans, the pointed end of the tube l3 should advantageously be positioned so as to strike one of the pre-weakened points which are provided in the commercial can for making it into a sitter top. This weakened point is easily penetrated and beyond that the metal may be easily torn by the square or sharp edge of the tube end.

It will be understood, of course, that other forms than the simple pointed tube may be used in order to facilitate puncturing and cutting of the opening in the topof the commercial package through which the contents flow into the outlet and it will be understood also that instead of the outlet tube 83! it will also be practicable simply to puncture the top of the tube with sufilciently large openings and to provide an ordinary sifte'r top or any other desired outlet from the container ill}.

What I claim is:

1. A toilet powder duster which comprises a substantially air-tight container for the powder, means for supplying gas under pressure to the vicinity of the powder in the interior of the container, and a delivery conduit extending from one extremity to the other of said container and having openings thereinto near each extremity whereby in either of inverted positions at least one of said openings will be exposed above the powder for receiving gas with entrained powder which flows from the gas supplying means.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, which includes means for closing a part of the delivery conduit when it is below the level of the powder against influx of the powder.

3. A device as defined in claim 1. in which the openings into the delivery conduit within said container are of, dimensions adapted to permit passage ofparticles or the powder when entrained When the device is intended for use with.

in the gas but sufliciently small to support a mass of powder thereover without influx.

4. A device as defined inclaim 1, in which the container comprises a shell composed of separable parts in one of which are fixed the projecting ends of the gas supplying means and the delivery conduit and a replaceable package containing the powder and having one end thereof pierced by said projecting ends; and said projecting ends are pointed to facilitate piercing such package. a

5. A powder dispensing device which comprises a head including cover means, powder distributing means on the outside of the cover and a powder feeding tube extending therethrough and from the opposite side and having a pointed end; and a powder container having a readily perforable portion sealed therein adapted to be pierced by said pointed end and means for securing said container in substantially powder-tight relation to said cover 6. A powder dispensing device which comprises a powder can having one open end, a transparent rupturable film across said open end closing it for shipment and delivery, closure means adapted to engage said can and seal it against leakage of powder, a tube extending through said closure whereby to feed powder to the outside thereof and having a pointed end adapted to pierce the rupturable film, and means for dispensing powder fed by said tube.

7. A toilet powder duster which comprises a powder container adapted to be closed substantially powder-tight, a gas inlet tube extending from top to bottom of the container and having outlets therefrom so narrowas to prevent substantial inflow of powder into said tube and to restrict the flow of gas pressure therefrom so that the flow will be distributed throughout said openings without short circuiting through any part of them, a powder outlet tube having a header extending from top to bottom and at least three branch tubes at each end thereof extending close to the sides of the container and having openings at the ends thereof so narrow as to support a mass of powder without substantial inflow, said header extending through the top of the container and terminating in a mouth, and a screen over said mouth to restrain or break up any masses of powder which may be.blown into said header.

8. A toilet powder duster which comprises a substantially air tight container for a mass of the powder, means for conducting gas from said pressure supply means in a flow substantially over the surface of the mass of powder whereby powder therefrom may be entrained in the flow, and means for conducting the flow from the vicinity of said powder mass to the exterior of said container and discharging it therefrom, said lastnamed means communicating with at least one space within the container which will be respectively above the mass of powder in any position of normal use, but being partitioned from the mass of powder below its surface in every position of the container whereby the powder is prevented irom flowing therein en masse.

9. A toilet powder duster as defined in claim 8, in which the means for conducting the flow from the powder mass to the exterior of the container is provided with a chamber adjacent the powder mass and extending into each space which in a given normal position of use may be above the powder mass and partitioned throughout from the powder mass by a screen having openings sumciently large to pass the powder particles when entrained in the flow of gas but too small to permit the flow of the powder en masse.

10. A toilet powder duster as defined in claim 8, in which the means for conducting the flow from the powder mass to the exterior of the container is provided with a chamber adjacent the powder mass and extending into e'ach space which in a given normal position of use may be above the powder mass, and'valve means adapted to partition oil from the powder mass each part of said chamber when it is below the level of the powder WALDEMAR AYRES. 

